Today, spreadsheet-based applications and programs, collectively referred herein as ‘spreadsheets’, are increasingly being utilized by people to interact with large amounts of data. Spreadsheets arrange data in rows and columns that define spreadsheet cells. Typically, spreadsheet cells allow a user to build functions which may include references to other cells, formulas, lists, as well as user-defined functions. As such, by providing the ability to specify functions in spreadsheets, spreadsheets have become a powerful tool for analyzing a wide range of data.
Building a spreadsheet function, however, is not an easy task. Typically, a user is required to remember a formula name and arguments, and/or memorize objects that are to be included in the function. Such technical requirements are further complicated when the user desires to access to data external to the spreadsheet. Accordingly, building a function can be slow and tedious work and often prevents a user from successfully completing their task.
Some spreadsheets utilize a “Function Wizard” to assist with building functions. Typically, a Function Wizard assists the user with entry of function parameters but does not allow the user to enter functions directly into spreadsheet cells. Thus, while assisting the user with certain aspects of function construction, Function Wizards only assist the user after proper syntax for a function has been manually entered. Consequently, Function Wizards associated with current spreadsheets neither free the user from the difficult task of remembering and entering proper function syntax and parameters nor assist the user in the construction of a function in its entirety.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and techniques for building functions.